Aerospace engineers may design spacecraft, satellites and other equipment that can operate outside Earth's atmosphere. Aeronautical engineers are aerospace engineers who work with aircraft and missile systems that operate only within the planet's atmosphere. Applicants typically need a bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering or a closely related field before finding employment.

Aerospace engineers may design spacecraft, satellites and other equipment that can operate outside Earth's atmosphere. Aeronautical engineers are aerospace engineers who work with aircraft and missile systems that operate only within the planet's atmosphere. Applicants typically need a bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering or a closely related field before finding employment.

National Income Statistics

As of 2011, aerospace engineers working in the United States earned a mean annual salary of nearly $104,000, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle 50 percent of aerospace engineers made between $81,000 and $125,000 per year, and the reported median salary for this occupation was $102,420 per year. The highest-earning 10 percent of all aerospace engineers reported annual income of $147,000 or more.

Salary by Employment Sector

About one-third of all aerospace engineers worked for aerospace parts and equipment manufacturers as of 2011, bringing home an average annual salary of nearly $97,000. Those who worked for management, scientific and consulting services reported the highest average earnings by industry, $115,780 per year. Those employed directly by the federal government also reported relatively high average earnings for this occupation, about $111,000 per year.

Salary by State

Average salaries for aerospace engineers varied widely by state as of 2011. The highest mean salary by state, $123,980 per year, was reported by those working in Virginia. The District of Columbia ranked second, with a reported average salary of $119,140 per year for aerospace engineers. Those working in Maryland, Idaho and Alabama reported high average salaries of between $114,000 and $116,000 per year. The lowest average earnings, about $67,000 per year, were reported in Wisconsin.

Occupational Outlook

The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that employment among aerospace engineers will grow at a very slow rate of 5 percent over the coming decade, resulting in an estimated additional 4,000 jobs by 2020. Most of the demand for engineers of this specialty is expected to be driven by the demands of national defense and the need to improve the safety and energy efficiency of civilian aircraft. Job opportunities are expected to be most favorable for engineers trained to use computational fluid dynamics software. Those who wish to advance into managerial or supervisory positions can improve their prospects by obtaining a master's degree and a license through the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology.

2016 Salary Information for Aerospace Engineers

Aerospace engineers earned a median annual salary of $109,650 in 2016, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. On the low end, aerospace engineers earned a 25th percentile salary of $85,500, meaning 75 percent earned more than this amount. The 75th percentile salary is $135,020, meaning 25 percent earn more. In 2016, 69,600 people were employed in the U.S. as aerospace engineers.